But I am not willing to forgo a daily shower, given that I exercise daily and have a small baby who alternatively leaks viscous drool, projectile vomits regurgitated milk, and has impressive diaper blowouts. I’m telling you, you haven’t lived until you look down and realize there is poop all over your shirt and there’s no telling how long it’s been there without you noticing. It’s about as cute as it sounds, which is why I cling to my daily (sometimes twice-daily) showers.

So, when I heard about BlowPro’s Perfect Shower Cap, I was intrigued.

Previously, I’d been using my own method of tying a plastic grocery bag tightly around my head, knotting it at the base of my neck (patent pending). But despite the sophisticated engineering design, my MacGyvered cap has its flaws.

I can’t shower too long because the plastic just traps the steam and I end up with mostly dry, but limp and frizzy strands.

I avoid standing directly under the shower head since I’m not sure the bag can stand up to the water stream.

I look ridiculous

The $18 BlowPro Shower Cap, however, is terry-lined and oversized, and boasts being “the ultimate hairline protection.”

A bold claim, but one I’m more than happy to test if it means I can stop wearing plastic bags on my head and scaring my husband.

I remove the cap from its plastic, zippered pouch and inspect it thoroughly. The terry lining is a nice touch and much improved tactile experience over bristling plastic. As directed, I put my hair in a top knot and place the cap over it. It is, as promised, oversized, fitting easily over all of my hair.

Now for the real test: Can I shower under a direct stream of water and still emerge with dry, frizz-free hair?

I’m in and out in less than 10 minutes. The cap is about as comfortable as you’d expect an elasticized band to be on your head, but hey, it’s a marked improvement from a plastic bag. That said, upon removing the cap, I discover I now have an awesome pink ring on my forehead.

My hair, however, is completely dry. BlowPro’s instructions say to fluff hair and use a little dry shampoo, which turned out to be unnecessary; my hair bounced back fine without it. If you are in the shower for longer than 15 minutes you might need a little extra help reviving it.

To clean the cap, you’re supposed to turn it inside out and hang it somewhere to dry. Easy. Although, when I was reading reviews, one of the biggest complaints is that the cap takes on a sour smell after a few months of use. I don’t see this as a dealbreaker, though. I mean, let’s say I use this cap an average of four times a week for next 12 weeks. That’s $18 divided by 48 days, which is less than 38 cents per use.

So is BlowPro’s cap as perfect as it claims? Pretty much. The terry lining is a nice touch, and it is absolutely waterproof.

Not a hair on my head got wet, despite standing directly under the water for minutes while shaving my legs. It’s foolproof to use and generously sized.

The only issue I experienced was the fact that, even during short showers, the cap still left me with a silly-looking red mark across my forehead.

Ultimate verdict? I love it, I’m keeping it, and to my husband’s great relief I’ll reserve the empty grocery bags for emptying the cat’s litter box from now on.

Would you pay $18 for a shower cap?

If you prefer another method or style for showering without washing your hair, what is it?